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PHOENIX, AZ (April 19, 2013) – A lengthy criminal career is effectively over today as the Honorable Joseph Kreamer ordered Mike Ruben Alvarez (D.O.B. 6/18/75) to serve a 63-year term in the Arizona Department of Corrections for shooting and injuring two police officers in an attempt to evade arrest. The sentence imposed today reflects penalties for an earlier hit-and-run collision, as well as enhancements for an extensive criminal record that involved multiple victims, assaults against police officers, and efforts to resist arrest.

“Criminals who commit acts of violence against police officers, who are the most visible sign of civil authority, are among the most dangerous since it is evident that they would have no regard for non-uniformed fellow citizens,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “Today’s sentence guarantees that this violent repeat offender will no longer threaten our community,” he added.

On August 13, 2009, a DPS motorcycle officer observed what appeared to be two vehicles racing on eastbound I-10. The officer pulled behind the two vehicles, one of which was a maroon Pontiac, and attempted to pull the Pontiac over by activating his emergency lights and siren. The driver of the vehicle accelerated and turned onto the off-ramp at 75th Avenue. The officer terminated the pursuit but witnessed the Pontiac run a red light and collide with another vehicle. The driver of the Pontiac exited the car and ran from the scene, jumping over a wall and ultimately evading apprehension.

At the scene of the collision, Phoenix Police officers found two injured passengers in the Pontiac: the driver’s girlfriend, who suffered a broken jaw, and his two year-old son, who suffered a serious laceration on his head that required staples to close. An occupant of the other vehicle was injured as well. Investigators learned that the driver of the Pontiac was Mike Ruben Alvarez. Despite additional investigation, the case did not result in an arrest or prosecution.

On August 4, 2011, two Phoenix Police officers attempted to make a traffic stop of Alvarez as he was riding a bicycle. At the time, the officers were unaware of his identity and his prior criminal acts. Alvarez made efforts to evade police, eventually dismounting the bicycle and attempting to flee on foot. After falling to the ground alongside a house, Alvarez pointed a handgun at the officers and opened fire, striking one officer in the arm and grazing the other in the head. The officers returned fire as Alvarez unlawfully entered the house and demanded that the occupant provide her car keys. Alvarez then exited the residence and was able to get into the police vehicle, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds in the process before finally being arrested. He was transported to a local hospital and later charged with multiple counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault and Endangerment as well as one count each of Burglary, Misconduct Involving Weapons and Attempted Theft of Means of Transport. A jury found him guilty on all counts.

Alvarez was subsequently indicted for the 2009 hit-and-run and charged with three counts of Aggravated Assault, three counts of Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident, and one count of Unlawful Flight from Law Enforcement. He waived his right to trial and pled guilty to one count of Aggravated Assault.